diff --git a/static/js/filter.js b/static/js/filter.js
index 318dd66ee8..aa47e22a4f 100644
--- a/static/js/filter.js
+++ b/static/js/filter.js
@@ -145,9 +145,10 @@ Filter.canonicalize_operator = function (operator) {
     }
 };
 
-Filter.canonicalize_term = function (tuple) {
-    var operator = tuple[0];
-    var operand = tuple[1];
+Filter.canonicalize_term = function (opts) {
+    // Legacy code may still call use with a tuple of [operator, operand].
+    var operator = opts.operator || opts[0];
+    var operand = opts.operand || opts[1];
 
     operator = Filter.canonicalize_operator(operator);
 
diff --git a/zerver/tests/frontend/node/filter.js b/zerver/tests/frontend/node/filter.js
index 80281a9c2f..1cf491c5f7 100644
--- a/zerver/tests/frontend/node/filter.js
+++ b/zerver/tests/frontend/node/filter.js
@@ -42,6 +42,17 @@ function assert_result_matches_legacy_terms(result, terms) {
     assert(! filter.can_apply_locally());
 }());
 
+(function test_new_style_operators() {
+    var term = {
+        operator: 'stream',
+        operand: 'foo'
+    };
+    var operators = [term];
+    var filter = new Filter(operators);
+
+    assert.deepEqual(filter.operands('stream'), ['foo']);
+}());
+
 (function test_public_operators() {
     var operators = [['stream', 'foo'], ['topic', 'bar']];
     var filter = new Filter(operators);